I hope everyone had a great weekend! We are continuing our healthy, eating/snacking series over here, with a little love towards our little ones. We can’t forget about them!

When we had Eleanor, I said I would make her food, when she was ready for solids. I said a lot of things, but…Well, I attempted it once, and to be honest, it wasn’t for me or her. (don’t judge. ha!) So my quest began for the perfect, organic, baby food. There weren’t many options, that I found and felt comfortable with. However, the one we kept reading about and seeing was Earth’s Best. So, that’s who we started with. Eleanor loves her options, and there are many to choose from, so, that’s who we’ve been with since day one!

Earth’s Best has a simple mission, “Earth’s Best Organic provides “better for baby” products with the freshest, purest ingredients, so parents can nurture their baby’s health with the utmost confidence.”

Eleanor had a chance to taste a few of their newer products, and she was thrilled with them. Luckily, we don’t have a picky eater over here, so we are pretty lucky there. Another thing we love about Earth’s Best, is the variety of items we have to choose from. We like to give Eleanor choices. This way she can learn the taste of different foods. I am still fully breastfeeding, so her meals with Earth Best tend to be a very small lunch, and a larger dinner. We also do give her avocado and banana. She really is a wonderful little eater.

This past weekend we celebrated mother earth. Dave took Saturday off, which is a rarity, so we got to hang with daddy all day! We enjoyed all of the activities that were happening in Alameda Park, for Earth Day. One of the great things about Santa Barbara, is there’s always so many different activities for families to enjoy!

There were lots of kid activities too, which was nice. Eleanor had the chance to play the drums, which she loved. She loves her music! We took a semester off, but she will be back to her music class in a couple of months. It’s been such a great investment for her.

We listened to lots of live music, and snacked on lots of healthy goodness. It’s always nice to just throw a few blankets down, relax, and listen to some good tunes. I also had the chance to check out one of my favorites, Sun Potion. They had a booth and were offering 20% off all of their products, so I totally scored! If you know me, you know I love my herbs!

We tied up the weekend with a children’s concert on the UCSB campus, where Eleanor got to enjoy a little fun, with some of her tiny friends.

Where does time go? Eleanor is going to be ONE next month, and I’m kind of freaking out! This is coming from the mouth of someone who didn’t even have children on her radar a few years ago. I love this little human more than she will ever know. Eleanor has made me a stronger, selfless, more laid back person, I even knew existed within me. She has been my BIGGEST teacher so far in life.

Eleanor, is a strong willed, independent, full of personality, little child. She LOVES music, and she loves playing the ukulele. She loves the beach and the water. Everyday I look at her and wonder how Dave and I got so lucky. It was really hard for us to get pregnant, so, she by far, made us both BELIEVE miracles REALLY do happen.

It’s amazing how your own child can really make you a better person. Not that I didn’t feel I was a good person before, but, I definitely feel I’m more dedicated to life now.

Time flies when you’re having fun! We can’t believe Eleanor Reed is going to be 9 months in a couple of weeks. She definitely has a strong personality, which I’m so grateful for. She’s strong, independent, and funny. She loves all foods, but sweet potatoes are her favorite. She started music class at a wonderful little music school here at home. Eleanor loves the ukulele! We feel so blessed to have such a fun, loving little girl. And her hair!!! Need I say more.

We are off to Mexico in a few weeks, this will be Eleanor’s first time to Mexico. Sayulita has a special place in our hearts. We’re excited to show her where mommy and daddy like to relax.

Love the print above from hellomaypole. It really is a great reminder to slow down and let your little one be who they want to be, not who we want them to be.

We just sent out the last of our holiday cards. If you’re anything like me, I always order more than one style, because I’m indecisive. This year I went a little overboard and ordered 4 different styles. My go to company always seems to be Tiny Prints. They have a wide variety of choices, and their staff is unbelievably helpful. Right now they are offering 30% off until the 14th. After that, you can get 10% off until the end of the month. If you’re a last minute person, no worries, they have New Years cards that are great too! We ordered a few for those folks you forget about, because you know after you have a baby you forget EVERYTHING!!! Ha!

We decided to have a quick little family photo session the other night. A friend snapped some quick photos of us at the beach. We planned on having professional photos taken, but decided, why not just do this. So we did. The pics are cute. I’m sure if a professional looked at them they would find a million things wrong, but we like them. We aren’t picky when it comes to certain things. Life is too short to sweat the small things, right?!

We did our annual visit to the pumpkin patch this year. Except this year we had miss Eleanor, so It was extra special. The day was actually pretty humorous. First let me start by telling you, that back in the day if I had a day like this, I would have gone ballistic. These days it takes a lot to ruffle my feathers. A LOT! I think it has something to do with having a baby. Nothing ever seems THAT important, unless it has to do with my child and/or her health.

So, we started the day with some pancakes at home, daddy went to a meeting in the morning, came home and was off for the rest of the day, so needless to say, we were stoked! I got Eleanor ready. Dressed her in a super cute outfit, that somewhat matched mine, I showered AND washed my hair (its the little things, I tell ya), and, I pulled out the fancy camera. We were ready, and in a timely manner. Haha! Off we went.

Oh, and did I mention the pumpkin patch that we go to is 45 minutes away. (we’re kind of particular with our pumpkin patches:)) We arrive and I get Eleanor out of her car seat and hand her to my husband. He says “OH MY GOD, she has had a massive blowout, and it is all over her clothes”. I’m like “Great!” Mother of the year, totally forgot a change of clothes, and it was all over her outfit. So we quickly jumped out to take pictures, with the winds probably 20 mph which, well, for lack of a better word “sucked”! It was the biggest catastrophe, but at the same time we had so much FUN! Eleanor was laughing, Dave and I couldn’t stop laughing about the whole thing, and really, it turned out fine. We got back to the car to strip Eleanor down, change her diaper (yes, I remembered that), and strap her back in her car seat, with just a diaper on. She was in 7 heaven. She loves having just her diaper on. We were on our way back home, just like that! Oh, and Dave grabbed some hay and pumpkins, while I did the poop change. WHEW!!!

Here is the really great part about it. If you really knew me, you’d know I’m not the most put together mother. I’ve winged it since day one, and it works, for all of us. I’m not one of those mothers that has a full day planned out for my little one, we fly by the seat of our pants, and we like it. Eleanor has a schedule that works for her, and that works for me. It’s ALL good!

I love this new little life of mine. It’s so fun, and I feel so blessed to have this tiny little human next to me at all times.

Love you, little miss Eleanor, and daddy, love you too! You’re the best daddy a little girl could ask for.

Hope you enjoy these funny pictures from our day at the pumpkin patch.

^^^Daddy and Eleanor, in the awkward hold because of the blowout. Haha!!!^^

^^^The entrance to the corn maze^^^

^^^We asked a stranger to take a photo, and this is what we got. We’re not picky.^^^

Eleanor is four months now, and there are so many changes taking place. She is rolling over, having lots of conversations with us, and has started teething. She really is a good baby, and definitely has her own personality. Motherhood sure is fun, but completely exhausting all at the same time. I’m hangin’ on tight to these next few months, because I know they are going to fly by.

We have finally moved into a bigger space, a home! We have a small back area, and a beautiful front yard. When you live in Santa Barbara space is hard to come by, well, unless you’re Oprah. haha!

September is here, and I’m kind of ready for some Fall weather. Even though Fall in Cali isn’t quite the same as Fall in the Midwest, I’ll still take it. I just want to be able to put on a sweater once a week. Ha!

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